Champagne is a fun and exciting way to begin the festivities. The mouthwatering acidity and effervescence help cleanse the palate between bites of food, making it an excellent choice even for fried or rich items. It pairs well with a variety of foods, from salty and rich selections such as cheese, chips or nuts, to more substantial hors d’oerves. While caviar or smoked salmon on toast are classic options try it also with fresh fruits, ripe and creamy cheeses, or fried foods. In fact, red meats aside, don’t hesitate to make Champagne the accompaniment to your entire meal.
Will you and yours be enjoying a succulent ham at your table? Glazed ham has sweet and salty notes that pair well with a sweet and crisp wine such as Riesling. Foods with some sweetness go best with wines that have some sweetness or the wine can seem thin and acidic. The distinct stone fruit notes in Rieslings highlight the savory flavors of ham and would pair superbly with a fruit sauce. Another option would be a fruit forward Pinot Noir or Gamay noir, something with a little fuller body due to the richness of the ham. It is important to match the texture of a wine’s body with heavier, more substantial foods so neither becomes overbearing.
If roast beef or other roasted meats are on the menu, be sure to decide on the final cooking temperature before selecting a wine. Beef cooked to medium or less has a different savory quality than well done or braised meats. Its red, chewy taste goes very well with wines that have a strong and well-integrated tannic structure. Bordeaux wines or Bordeaux-style blends and aged New World style wines make excellent pairings. Once the meat is cooked further, it takes on umami flavors that can cause a tannic wine to taste metallic.
Does turkey top your holiday meals? This bird is hearty enough to be enjoyed with richer whites and even reds. When thinking about your pairing, consider the weight of the foods. A rich white or red wine may be a better choice if you are serving a rich gravy. A light red would seem thin in comparison to the heaviness of the gravy. Try a fuller bodied red without too much tannin such as a Sangeovese, which has a great acidity to pair with tart cranberry or other fruit sauces.
If fish is on the menu, consider light or fuller bodied white wines. Lighter fish or shellfish is best paired with a light and crisp white wine. Richer or more flavorful wines would overpower the fish. Try pairing a Muscadet with saline notes to bring out the briny qualities of shellfish. A wine with crisp acidity is like a spritz of fresh lemon for the dish. For more flavorful, more oily or fish with a cream sauce pairs wonderfully with richer or buttery whites.
If you are celebrating the end of the year with Asian foods, try a wine that also has umami or savory flavors. If you will be enjoying spicy foods, try a slightly sweet or very fruity wine such as an off-dry German Riesling. Spiciness masks some of the wine’s fruitiness, while sweetness can help turn down the heat of the spiciness.
Does your wine seem not quite right with your meal? A quick way to save a pairing is to add a touch of salt to your food. Salt helps mediate food flavors that might be clashing with the wine. Another game changer is a spritz of lemon over the food. We’d suggest that salt is the choice when the wine seems too rich and heavy; lemon when the wine too light for you.
If you are looking to take your pairing interests further, try experimenting with both matching and contrasting flavors. Trying a couple of different wines with the same food will reveal much to guide you in the future. Start from the very basics; red wine vs white wine.
With so many dessert options to enjoy this holiday, finding a wine to match may seem overwhelming. We have put together some general guidelines to assist you. There are several styles of classic dessert wines, but essential things to consider are the sweetness of the dessert and its richness. A rich food calls for an even richer or, alternatively crisper wine to keep the pairing balanced. Late harvest, botrytis affected wines and ice wines have rich texture from the residual sugar and high acidity if grown in a cooler region. Lighter style sweet wines such as Moscato d’Asti can pair nicely with lighter cookies, sweet cream pies and dark chocolate. The effervescence also pairs nicely with all sorts butter laden pastries. A medium-dry port pairs well with richer foods such as chocolate-, ganache-, or fudge-based cookies, pies or cakes. Try the port also with something that has a hint of saltiness such as caramel or a dessert cheese board.
Below, we have arranged wine suggestions by their intending pairing. All wines listed are in stock.
Champagne and Appetizers
Alfred Gratien Champagne Brut NV ($49.95) $36.00 special, 37 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points: “A bright, balanced version, with a streak of minerality and a pleasant juiciness to flavors of black currant, poached apple, brioche, grilled plum and crystallized honey. Hints of candied lemon zest and grated coconut ride the fine texture on the finish. Drink now through 2020.”
Delamotte Brut Blanc De Blancs NV ($59.95) $47.00 special, 12 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points: “Very pale greenish-silver color. Extremely fine, precise aromas of talc, mint and fresh herbs. Creamy and round but utterly vibrant; this expands to fill the mouth yet communicates an impression of weightlessness. A blanc de blancs of great delicacy. Finishes very long, youthful and bright.”
Fleury Champagne Brut Cepages Blanc 2004 ($79.95) $69.00 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Advocate 93 points: “Another gorgeous wine, the 2004 Brut Cepages Blancs (Chardonnay) is stunningly beautiful. Rich, deep and layered, the 2004 comes alive in the glass. Lemon, dried flowers and hazelnuts wrap around the palate as this complex, utterly beguiling wine shows off its considerable personality and pedigree. Chalky notes frame the finish. This is without question one of the very best wines I have ever tasted from Fleury.”
Marie-Courtin Resonance Extra Brut NV ($59.95) $49.00 special, 3+ cases available
THIS IS NEWEST RELEASE – VINTAGE 2010 Antonio Gallonio 94 points: “Green apples, pears, mint and white flowers meld together in the NV (2010) Extra Brut Resonance, 100% Pinot Noir from 35-40 year-old vines. Citrus, lime and a host of bright aromas and flavors suggest Chablis with bubbles. The Resonance is simply bristling with energy and focus today. This is a fabulous wine from proprietress Dominique Moreau. This bottle was disgorged in May 2013.”
Ayala Champagne Brut Rose Majeur NV ($59.95) $39.00 special, 3+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 90 points: “(made from 51% chardonnay, 39% pinot noir – about a quarter of which is still red wine – and 10% pinot meunier; disgorged September, 2011): Pale orange. Bright, mineral-accented aromas of orange peal, brioche and white flowers, with a spicy topnote. Silky and open-knit, offering tangy citrus fruit and red berry flavors and a hint of toastiness. Closes smooth, fruity and long, with good breadth and clarity.”
Moet Chandon Grand Vintage Brut Rose 2004 ($89.95) $59.00 special, 21 bottles available
Wine Enthusiast 93 points: “This serious, ripe offering is packed with red berry and stone fruit flavors. It also has complex touches of toast and acidity, producing a sense of dryness. This is finely balanced and is now ready to drink, but it will also likely age for a few more years.”
Ham
Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett 2010 ($34.95) $26.00 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Advocate 91 points: “Enhanced levity to Donnhoff’s 2010 Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, even when compared with the corresponding Krotenpfuhl, may well be the effect of these vines’ literally slate underpinnings. In any event, this displays a lovely hint of creaminess allied to refreshment, and features a dynamic finishing interaction of fresh lemon and grapefruit, herbs, and wet stone. I would anticipate 12-15 years of high-performance.”
Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese 2012 ($34.95) $30.90 special, 3+ cases available
Mosel Fine Wines 92 points: “This Wine is quite open and expressive at this early stage and explodes with juicy flavors of yellow peach, quince and some flowers on the palate. This offers everything one could expect from a juicy Spatlese. The fact that it does deliver the goods without too much richness (it has technically less than 60 g/l of residual sugar) makes it utterly delicious also at this ealrly stage. 2017-2032”
Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling 2011 ($29.95) $24.00 special, 29 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points: “Bright and juicy, featuring lovely balance and flavors of spiced plum and apple fruit, cantaloupe, apple blossom and honey, with a streak of minerality pushing through to the creamy finish. Drink now through 2023.”
Didier Dagueneau Silex 2009 ($129.95) $99.00 special, 29 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93-94+ points: “From an enclave just outside the cuverie in Saint Andelain, the Dagueneau 2009 Blanc Fume de Pouilly Silex delivers an almost inordinate diversity of floral, herbal, citrus (predominately grapefruit), and pit-fruit (predominately nectarine) elements, with the bitterness of fruit pits, smoky pungency of red currant and crushed stone, as well as notes of shrimp shell reduction and iodine inflecting a long, bittersweet, yet at the same time vibrant, buoyant finish. This silken textured seducer should gain with time in bottle and be worth following for ten or a dozen years.”
Cedric Vincent Beaujolais Vieilles 2010 ($21.95) $16.00 special, 3+ cases available
John Gilman 91+ points: “I had absolutely loved Cédric Vincent 2010 old vine bottling of Beaujolais at the start of the year and the wine has blossomed beautifully over the course of the year and is every bit as superb today as it was in January, with a fair bit of its tannin having fallen away and the wine now wide open on the attack. The outstanding bouquet is deep, bright and beautifully classic in its aromatic mélange of black cherries, woodsmoke, a touch of dark berry, really lovely, dark soil tones, blossoming notes of nutskin, pepper and a lovely topnote of fresh thyme. On the palate the wine is medium-full, bright and sappy at the core, with beautiful transparency and soil signature, modest tannins, tangy acids and truly exceptional length and grip on the complex and palate staining finish. This is very serious Beaujolais that is drinking very well today, but is just beginning to show the first vestiges of its autumnal layer of secondary complexity and will continue to improve for many years to come. Lovely wine. 2012-2025+.”
Sandrone Barbera D’Alba 2009 ($39.95) $33.00 special, 24 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points: “The 2009 Barbera d’Alba impresses for its silkiness, finesse and sheer harmony. This is a mid-weight vintage for the Barbera, but here, too, the wine’s balance is totally irresistible. This shows lovely mid-palate pliancy in a feminine style that is incredibly appealing. Sweet dark cherries, flowers and subtle hints of French oak linger on the polished, impeccable finish. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016.”
Roasted Meats
Stephen Tanzer 93 points: “Bright ruby-red. Heady, exotically perfumed aromas of cherry-cola, raspberry liqueur, star anise and freshly turned earth, along with notes of incense and smoky herbs. Stains the palate with intense red fruit flavors that gain weight and sweetness with air. Manages to be powerful as well as energetic, finishing with outstanding focus and gently tannic persistence.”Failla Syrah Hudson Vineyard 2010 ($59.95) $51.90 special, 3+ cases available
Antonio Galloni 95 points: “Black olives, savory herbs, asphalt, bittersweet chocolate, cloves and menthol all flesh out in Failla’s 2010 Syrah Hudson Vineyard. A dark, rich wine, the 2010 saturates the palate with endless waves of flavor. There is so much going on in the glass, it’s hard to know where to start. A deep, layered finish rounds out this explosive, rich Syrah beautifully. Jordan used 100% whole clusters here, but they are totally integrated with the wine.”
BV George De Latour Cabernet 2009 ($99.95) $79.00 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Spectator 93 points: “Bold, rich and concentrated, focused on a dense core of blackberry, cherry, red and black licorice. Firmly tannic and chewy, with subtle earthy notes at the foundation. Best from 2014 through 2026”
Chateau La Clemence Pomerol 2000 ($99.95) $79.00 special, 3+ cases available
Robert Parker 91 points: “This looks to be the strongest effort to date from the Dauriac-Rolland team. Deep, opaque purple-colored, with a tight but promising nose of truffles, licorice, underbrush, incense, and black fruits, this big, huge, dense, full-bodied Pomerol shows no compromising for readers looking for something immediately drinkable. As the French would say, a true vin de garde. This backstrapping, muscular wine is loaded, but patience is most definitely a virtue. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2022+.”
Clos Du Caillou Chateauneuf Les Quartz 2009 ($109.95) $59.00 special, 3+ cases available
Robert Parker 94 points: “The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz is a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah from one of the appellation’s more obscure lieu-dits. This stunning 2009 offers copious floral notes intermixed with crushed rock, wet stone, kirsch and black currant characteristics.”
Durand St Joseph Les Coteaux 2009 ($27.95) $19.00 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Spectator 92 points: “This is still slightly reticent, with a pronounced iron minerality holding sway over the supple cherry and black currant fruit. The lovely violet and black tea aromas fill in the background, and the finish is long and sleek. Let this open with modest cellaring. Best from 2012 through 2017.”
Orma Toscana IGT Bolgheri 2009 ($59.95) $41.90 special, 19 bottles available
James Suckling 95 points & Wine Advocate 93 points: “The 2009 Orma is gorgeous. Espresso, mocha, sweet red cherries, grilled herbs and plums wrap around the palate in this sensual wine from the Tuscan coast. The 2009 doesn’t quite have the exuberance or sexiness of 2007 or 2008, but it comes very close. Firm tannins frame a vibrant, energetic finish layered with graphite, smoke and mocha. This is a very beautiful wine from Antonio Moretti and long-time consulting oenologist Carlo Ferrini. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.”
Lopez Heredia Rioja Bosconia Reserva 2003 ($37.95) $28.00 special, 3+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points: “(80% tempranillo, 15% garnacha, 3% graciano and 2% mazuelo): Medium red. Ripe red fruit, flowers and spices on the nose, with a smoky nuance emerging with aeration; very fresh for this notoriously hot vintage. Concentrated but not at all heavy, with intense red berry and floral pastille flavors and a deeper note of singed plum. The finish is bright and high-pitched, with lingering cherry and raspberry flavors and a hint of candied licorice.”
Pingus Psi Ribera Del Duero 2010 ($41.95) $33.00 special, 29 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 92 points: “Bright purple. Pungent, expressive scents of cherry and dark berries, dried flowers and incense. Sappy cherry and cassis flavors are braced by tangy acidity and gain sweetness with air. Richer on the finish, with its resounding notes of cherry compote and Asian spices. This vibrant wine drinks very easily right now.”
BV George De Latour Cabernet 2009 ($99.95) $79.00 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Spectator 93 points: “Bold, rich and concentrated, focused on a dense core of blackberry, cherry, red and black licorice. Firmly tannic and chewy, with subtle earthy notes at the foundation. Best from 2014 through 2026”
Turkey
Tablas Creek Esprit De Tablas Blanc 2011 ($47.95) $39.00 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points: “Easily my favorite of the 2011 whites, and comprised of 64% Roussanne, 26% Grenache Blanc and 10% Picpoul Blanc, the 2011 Esprit Blanc de Tablas offers up a beautifully clear, detailed and balanced profile with plenty of white peach, orange rind, buttered toast, cream and hints of hazelnut all emerging from the glass. Medium-bodied, silky and polished on the palate, with excellent acidity and freshness, this beauty can be consumed now, or cellared for a decade. Drink now-2026.”
Chapoutier Chateauneuf Bernardine Blanc 2010 ($69.95) $49.00 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Spectator 92 points: “This ripe style displays a brioche frame to the Cavaillon melon, heather, peach and papaya notes, which all glide seamlessly through the full-bodied finish, where a stony hint keeps this honest. 56 cases imported”
Bouland Morgon Cuvee De Lys 2011 ($29.95) $26.00 special, 37 bottles available
Wine Advocate 93 points: “The Bouland 2011 Morgon De Lys Vieilles Vignes reveals complex aromatics with its ripe cassis and black raspberry, distilled berry overtones, saline, alkaline, maritime, stony, crystalline minerality, and mouthwatering evocations of roast meat pan scrapings and soy – all features delivered on a saliva-inducing, richly textured yet dynamic and refreshing palate. There is a marrowy, fat-rich depth here that dovetails delightfully with the wine’s textural allure and is complemented by the counterpoint of fresh berry tartness and bracing, shimmering mineral impingements. Look for strong showings from this extraordinary value through at least 2018”
Huber-Verdereau Volnay 2010 ($49.95) $33.00 special, 3+ cases available
Burghound 88 points: “A pretty mix of red and blue pinot fruit aromas exhibits plenty of earth influence that continues onto the silky and pure middle weight flavors that culminate in a moderately rustic and austere finish. This will need a few years to flesh out and add depth.”
Biondi Santi Sassoalloro 2008 ($39.95) $28.00 special, 35 bottles available
Wine Spectator 90 points: “Needs aeration to reveal the rich blackberry and black cherry flavors locked within this muscular red, which is firm and bright, with a mineral finish. Be patient. Best from 2014 through 2024.”
Petrolo Torrione Toscana 2009 ($39.95) $28.00 special, 3+ cases available
James Suckling 94 points: “Aromas of lightly stewed fruit, with hints of fresh herbs and spices. Full bodied, with soft tannins and a fruity finish. This is balanced and long, with a caressing finish. Best ever. Mostly Sangiovese, with a hint of Merlot. Better after 2013”
Seafoods
Leloup Chasseloir Muscadet Centenaires 2007 ($21.95) $17.00 special, 19 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points: “Scents of sea breeze; honeydew and musk melon; and fresh lemon lead into an expansive yet persistently refreshing palate, featuring rich hints of nut oils beneath bright, juicy, brine-crusted waves of melon and citrus…worth following for at least the next ten years, not that you should wait one month let alone year longer than necessary to make its acquaintance…”
Christian Moreau Les Clos Chablis 2009 ($69.95) $59.00 special, 11 bottles available
Burghound 91-94 points: “Moderate wood influence that should integrate quickly still allows the white flower, spiced pear and citrus-infused aromas to shine. The rich, full and serious flavors possess excellent concentration as well as ample amounts of the hallmark minerality on the detailed, energetic and explosive finish.”
Faiveley Chablis Les Preuses 2009 ($89.95) $79.00 special, 14 bottles available
Stephen Tanzer 95 points: “Knockout nose combines lavender, white pepper, violet, menthol and crushed stone, along with a whiff of baked bread. Superripe and seamless yet with terrific cut to its sweet stone fruit and stony mineral flavors. The explosive saline, stony finish is almost painful today. This will become even more minerally with a few years of bottle aging. A beauty, and even more impressive than a sample I tasted last year. A great example of Preuses that transcends the vintage, this wine spent a bit of time in barrique, then was kept in vat until it was bottled in January of this year.”
Bodegas Muga Rioja Blanco 2012 ($17.95) $14.00 special, 3+ cases available
Stephen Tanzer 91 points: “(90% viura and 10% malvasia, fermented in new French oak, where it then spends three months on its lees): Green-tinged gold. Powerful aromas of honeydew melon, orange zest and toasty lees. Sappy, round and concentrated, offering intense melon, citrus fruit and spicecake flavors and a slow-building vanilla quality. Finishes smooth and long, with mounting spiciness and a touch of fennel.”
Deux Montille Auxey Duresses 2010 ($39.95) $33.00 special, 6 bottles available
Burghound 89 points: “A reticent green fruit nose is given added breadth from the presence of citrus and pretty dried floral notes. There is fine precision and excellent intensity to the round, rich and well-detailed flavors that culminate in a bone dry, cuts-like-a-knife finish. This offers excellent quality for a villages level Auxey.”
Chinese/ Vegetarian
The Scholium Project Marcher Sur La Lune 2009 ($29.95) $18.00 special, 37 bottles available
The producer notes: (Verdelho) Barrel and Skin contact. “Rigor, definition, and subtle power. You do not taste skins or seeds– this is purely a white wine, not a pretender to the Prince– but you sense their place in the structure of the wine.”
Alvear Fino En Rama 2004 500ML ($19.95) $9.90 special, 19 bottles available
Wine Advocate 90 points: “It was aged for two years in 500-liter American oak barrels. This non-fortified, unfiltered Sherry is loaded with flor (the yeast that forms a film on the surface of sherry during fermentation) and reveals aromas of roasted nuts and sea salt. Round and full-flavored on the palate, this lengthy effort is a superb example of its type.”
Valdespino Amontillado Tio Diego ($21.95) $18.00 special, 7 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points: “Smoky and taut, featuring date, dried orange peel, clove, singed sandalwood and salted caramel notes. The dry, nervy finish has lots of tension. Begs for salted almonds. Drink now.”
Domaine Leroy Bourgogne Aligote 2010 ($99.95) $79.00 special, 12 bottles available
Fleury Brut Millesime 1990 ($199.95) $139.00 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Spectator 94 points: “Aromatic notes of ocean brine and white truffle announce this vibrant Champagne, which layers flavors of candied lemon, dried papaya, smoked almond, crystallized honey and pound cake. Offers a detailed texture and finely meshed acidity. Drink now through 2022”
Puffeney Cuvee Sacha Arbois 2011 ($37.95) $33.00 special, 13 bottles available
Astoria Wines: “Jacques Puffeney is hailed as the master of Arbois. This cuvée is a blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin, where only the Savagnin is sous-voile. What’s so distinctive about his wines is the mineral character and leesy, near fresh milk fruit on the palate. Gorgeous yellow stone fruit, with raw honey and pollen on the finish.”
Donnhoff Estate Riesling 2012 ($23.95) $18 special, 3+ cases available
Terry Theise notes: “So, as always this is from the porphyry site, Oberhäuser Felsenberg and the gravelly site Oberhäuser Kiegelburg, and so it’s a mini-Grand Cru. It’s another in a string of beauties, barely perceptible sweetness, literally incredible class, and in my opinion the single greatest white wine value in the world. And if you want to, you can age it for twenty years or more.”
Desserts
Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Haut Lieu 2008 ($49.95) $33.00 special, 21 bottles available
Wine Advocate 92 points: “Heliotrope and narcissus set the sweet and musky tone for Huet’s 2008 Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Haut Lieu, which delivers a near-jolt of energy, bright citricity, and the musky bite of Misato rose radishes to the palate. Underlying alkaline and chalky notes as well as a hint of honey add to the musky complexity of a long finish. This should be remarkable to follow for 15 or more years, though I’m not sure I would broach another bottle for 2-3, or that becoming harmonious is really what this wine will be about. ”
Quinta Do Infantado 10 Year Tawny Port NV ($39.95) $33.00 special, 17 bottles available
The importer notes: “Infantado’s 10-year Tawny is an exceptional wine of deep amber brown color and incredible length and delineation of flavor. The finish is expressive of coffee and caramel with a round, silky texture.”
Chateau Climens Barsac 2004 375ML ($59.95) $49.00 special, 3+ cases available
Wine Spectator 92 points: “Shows apricot tart, with hints of candied lemons on the nose. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with lovely concentration and a lemony, spicy, almost flinty aftertaste. Impressive for the vintage. Very lively and zingy on the finish. Best after 2009.”
Chateau de Myrat Sauternes 2007 ($59.95) $49.00 special, 19 bottles available
Wine Spectator 96 points ‘HIGHLY RECOMMENDED’: “Darker in color that most 2007 Sauternes, showing intense aromas of driet apricot, with toffee notes and an almost smokey charachter. This is full-bodied and very sweet, with a full-blown dried fruit and raisin flavor. Long and superbly rich. Best after 2014.”
Marchesi Di Gresy Moscato La Serra 2012 ($19.95) $16.00 special, 12 bottles available
The producer notes: “Made solely from the Moscato grape, La Serra offers sensations of fresh exotic fruit. Intense, full, and harmonious on the palate, it is an excellent dessert wine with biscuits, dry cakes and fruit. Slightly frizzante.”
We hope that our guide will help make your holiday gatherings special. We at Vinopolis are always happy to help with any further questions or suggestions.
These wines and others can be found
at our Downtown Portland, OR location.
Happy and safe holidays from Vinopolis.